Casa del Marmo
Workshop museum in Rima, in Upper Valsesia, devoted to artificial marble: a decorative technique typical of the village, with visits, demonstrations and courses.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Artificial marble is a decorative technique that originated in Rima, in Valsesia, around the mid-19th century: the village’s craftsmen, often seasonal emigrants, learned to imitate the surfaces of marble and hard stones with plaster mixtures and colours, and the trade was handed down from father to son. From around 1830 this activity brought prosperity and fame to its inhabitants, who worked throughout Italy and in several European countries.
To keep alive a technique that risked disappearing, an association dedicated to artificial marble was founded in Rima in 2004. In the Casa del Marmo, a historic building in the village, the museum displays tools, samples, decorative models and documents linked to production, while the workshop is also a place of training.
Making one square metre takes about ten to twelve hours of work: white cement or selenite, glue and pigments are mixed, the mixture is spread on the wall and smoothed with a trowel and then with stones of increasing hardness.
Highlights
- Historic tools and samples of artificial marble work
- Decorative models, vases and objects inspired by the tradition
- Live demonstrations of the stages of work, from mixing to polishing
- Theory and practice courses of two or five days in the workshop
- Walser village of Rima at 1,417 m, with buildings decorated with artificial marble
Permanent exhibition
- Museo laboratorio del marmo artificiale – Historic tools, samples, decorative models and documents on the production of Rima’s artificial marble.
Admission & discounts
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Accessibility
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Kids & families
- Hands-on stations
In the workshop visitors can follow demonstrations and practical workshops.
Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours, practical demonstrations and workshops covering the stages of work are offered. The workshop runs courses of two or five days. |
